FLIGHT C: Thurs April 27 – Day 5 – Water Triple with a Double Blind

The final Sixth Series for Flight C was at John and Mary Stracka’s property, “Union Hill.” This was to be the site of all three of the flights coming together for the final and six series. A last-minute decision was made on a Thursday morning by the Hunt Test committee that the flights would continue to run at the sites that they have been located all week, with the exception of Flight C which was going to stay at Union Hill instead of returning to Glen and Laurie Williams “Dog Pond Kennels.” This series consisted of a triple with a double the first bird was a dead duck thrown to the right across from the shore across the water landing on a peninsula at 65 yards. The middle second bird was thrown to the left from the far shore onto a peninsula at 55 yards from the line. The final bird was the duck flyer at 65 yards shot to the left landing in tall cover. The water blind appeared to be a channel blind from the line with what looked to be an island on the left and the peninsula on the right where the middle bird had just landed. The direct line to the water blind on the far shore of this technical pond was between those two pieces of land at 95 yards. The line for the land blind was to the far right of the test. The bird was located at 100 yards at the base of a very large brush pile.

The dogs began the series by retrieving the shot flyer to the far right of the test. The direct line to the mark took a sliver of the corner of the pond but was mostly run on land. Next was the left-hand dead duck which consisted of 35 yards of running on land before an angle entry into the pond onto the shore of the peninsula. The final middle bird was the longest swim across the pond into the middle of the peninsula. For the water blind, as the dog swam through the channel, they bounced off the left end shore of the peninsula where the second bird landed. The final retrieve of the 2017 MAI is the land blind at 100 yards off to the right. This test took about eight minutes to complete and was expected to be the first test to be completed today because it was set up long before the other two flights.

Flight C – Test 6 – Judge's Scenario

Flight C – Test 6 – Test Dog

Flight C – Test 6 – Test Dog – Land Blind

FLIGHT C: Wed April 26 - Day 4 - Test 5 - Land/Water Triple with a Diversion Shot and Honor

Flight C's Series 5 was a land/water triple with a dry diversion shot and an honor using all mallard ducks. The handler is looking at a large pond with peninsulas and fingers. Directly in front, is a peninsula and across it to the far shore is a mushroom-shaped piece of land. The first bird thrown right, under the arc of the second bird landed in a pocket of a small bend in the mushroom 106 yards from the line. The second bird thrown right onto the peninsula landed 45 yards from the line. The third bird thrown left to the water's edge landed 42 yards from the line. The area all around the pond is nicely mowed with low to medium cover around the edges. 

The line to the go bird is on land paralleling the shore with a slight angle to retrieve the bird at the water's edge. The line to the bird on the peninsula was a square water entry with a short swim and a square exit onto the peninsula to retrieve the bird. The direct line to the memory bird was a square water entry and exit over the peninsula taking a sliver of land to the pocket were the bird landed. Dogs that were trying to be good stayed in the water past the pocket to the left of the bird, then landed and hunted to the left towards the bird station, then working to the right to retrieve the bird. Dogs that landed to the right on the top of the mushroom quickly winded the bird. The honor was to the left of the working dog. 

Flight C – Test 5 – #35

FLIGHT B: Wed April 26 - Day 4 - Test 5 - Land/Water Triple with a Diversion Shot

Flight B's Fifth Series is a land/water triple with diversion shot. The first bird thrown was on the right slight angle back to the left and landing 65 yards from the line into a small dip of low cover. The  middle bird was second, thrown angle back to the right landing almost at the crest of a low knoll across the water 98 yards from the line. The final go bird was thrown right also across the pond landing in low cover with thin broom straw directly in front of a pine tree 86 yards from the line. Upon the return from the first retrieve is the dry diversion shot.

The line to the go bird is a slight angle entry into the water for a 60 yard swim then the dog angles out across the road to retrieve the bird. The line to the land bird parallels the shore in very low cover. The water to the left and a small grouping of pines to the right keeps the dogs on track for a quick retrieve. The line to the middle bird is square water entry across the pond with a slight angle out of the pond across the road up a small knoll to retrieve the bird.

Flight B – Test 5 – #34

FLIGHT A: Wed April 26 - Day 4 - Test 5 - Water Triple with a Diversion Shot

The Fifth Series for Flight A is a water triple with a dry diversion shot. The handler is overlooking a small corner of a well-designed large technical pond. The first bird was the middle bird and was thrown to the right onto the bank on the other side of a peninsula and lands 140 yards from the line. The second bird down was the left-hand bird, also thrown to the right on land at 55 yards. The go bird also thrown right and in, lands behind a large clump of grass in the water with a splash just 33 yards from the line. 

The line to the go bird is down a small peninsula with a square water entry either through or around the grass clump to retrieve the bird. Mid-way back, a diversion shot is fired. The right-hand line is an angle entry into the first piece of water, a 42 yard swim, angle exit up onto shore to retrieve the bird. If the dogs exited the water early, a group of pines to the left shore helped the dogs from hunting left. Alternately, there was an opportunity to hunt deep if the dog exited past the bird. The line to the middle memory bird was an angle entry into the first piece of water, an angle out across the causeway and an angle entry into the second piece of water ending in a swim 50 yards down the shore to the bird. Dogs that did not get in the second piece of water hunted to the left and deep behind  the bird station eventually working down to the shore to retrieve the bird.    

Flight A – Test 5 – #21

FLIGHT A: Tue April 25 - Day 3 - Test 4 - Water Triple with a Diversion Bird and a Water Blind and a Land Blind

Late in the afternoon, we visited Flight A at Tired Bottom Farm. Series 4 is a walk-up land/water triple with diversion bird as well as a land and a water blind using all mallard ducks. The steep terrain is the major factor in this set up. The line is at the top of a valley sloping down to a very small pond which  if it was any smaller would be considered a "pot hole." The flyer is the middle bird shot to the right down the hill with the area of the fall 50 yards from the line. The left-hand second bird is thrown right down a slight bank landing in medium cover 75 yards from the line. Then a big swing to the right-hand bird which landed on the shore on the far side of the pond at 105 yards. The diversion bird was thrown left into decoys upon the return from the first bird retrieved landing 55 yards to the right of the line. The line to the water blind took in the same terrain and factors as the right-hand bird due to the water blind being approximately 25 yards left and 20 yards deep of the right-hand bird. The land blind is to the left of the left-hand bird through a key hole 75 yards from the line. 

While we were at the test, it was a even split between the dogs choosing to retrieve the flyer or right bird first. The line to the flyer was down the slope onto a flat with a large group of bushy trees on the right hand side of the area of the fall. The line to the second bird angled down the slope with suction from the flyer station. There was potential for the dogs to fall off the hill and start hunting behind the flyer station and potentially returning to the area of the flyer. The line to the right-hand bird was 75 yards down the slope onto a flat area prior to squaring the pond, across the pond and up the far bank to retrieve the bird. Next dogs had to hold the line across the slope, through a key hole to the land blind. Once again all the blinds were brushed very well and blended into the scenery beautifully.   

The Judge's Scenario 

FLIGHT C: Tue April 25 - Day 3 - Test 4 - Water Triple with a Diversion Bird and a Water Blind and a Land Blind

Series 4 for Flight C was a walk-up land/water triple with a diversion bird and a land and water blind using all mallard ducks. The right-hand walk-up mark is the flyer which is shot and then sluiced hard back left into a small cove with several decoys 42 yards from the line. The dogs had to swing to the left to see the middle water mark which was thrown to the right and landed 86 yards from the line on a peninsula that had medium high cover along the edge and cut grass where the bird landed. The left bird thrown to the left landed in medium high cover 48 yards from the line. Upon returning with the flyer, the diversion bird is thrown to the left landing on a peninsula with manicured grass. The land blind is just outside and 24 yards deep of the left bird. The water blind is approximately 73 yards on the right bank of the pond to the left of the flyer. 

The left bird station was very well hidden behind three very large clumps of pampas grass.  The middle bird station is directly behind the same pampas grass but much deeper and well brushed. The left and middle bird station create a mom (left hand bird short) and pop (middle bird deeper). Coming out of the holding blind, handlers walked west and at the time we visited this test the wind was out of the west at 7 mph. 

The handlers appeared to be split on their decision of what bird to pick up first. As an example, with the few dogs we watched, some dogs selected to pick up the left-hand bird first, but a couple selected the flyer. The line to the left-hand bird was through a short area of cut grass into thick medium cover. The line to the flyer was an angle entry into the cove in which the flyer landed for a very short swim to retrieve the bird. The diversion bird was thrown when the dog was mid-way back from the flyer. The line to the diversion bird was angle entry into a very small cove and then it angled up on to a peninsula to retrieve the bird. The line to the middle bird was a line on land paralleling the shore with an angle water entry, across to the peninsula up the bank to retrieve the bird. The line to the water blind was angle entry into the very first piece of water, then angled across the small peninsula through the scent of the diversion bird, before entering back in and across the mouth of the small cove where the flyer was shot.

FLIGHT B: Tue April 25 - Day 3 - Test 4 - Water Triple with a Diversion Bird and a Water Blind and a Land Blind

WELCOME to Master Amateur Invitational … Fourth Series

Today's test for Flight B is a very meaty walk-up, water triple with a diversion bird, water and land blind. The flyer station situated on the back side of a causeway is shooting the first bird left across water to a small point creating bridge bird 52 yards from the line. The middle bird, thrown left flat slightly down a gentle slope lands in an area with no cover 138 yards from the line. The right-hand bird also thrown left flat to an area with no cover at the base of a pine tree landing 106 yards from the line. Upon the return from the first bird retrieved, a diversion bird is thrown to the right at 30 yards landing in line to the land blind. The handler sends the dog on the water blind first. The line to the blind is under the arc of the flyer, past the point of the area of the fall for the flyer, over a point to the far end of the pond 140 yards from the line. The 53 yard land blind is to the left, through the scent of the diversion bird at the edge of a small group of pine trees. 

Prior to coming to the line, handlers should decide which their dog should pick up first: the flyer or third bird down. If the dog is sent for the third bird down, the line is an angle entry into the first piece of water and then the dog should stay in the water 3/4 of the way down the causeway. The dog then has an angle entry out of the pond, another angle entry across the causeway to retrieve the bird. On the dog's return to the line, the diversion bird will be thrown as the dog exits out of the pond.

If the handler requires secondary selection and picks up the bridge bird flyer first, the line is a slight angle into the water, across a very small piece of water with a slight angle out to retrieve the bird. Upon return from the flyer, the diversion bird is thrown when the dog exits the water. The long middle bird is difficult, the line is angle entry into and out of the first piece of water, angle across the causeway on the back side of the flyer station and angle into the second piece of water. This is a fairly long swim to the far side of the pond, angle entry out and the dog is then required to hold the line across the slight slope to retrieve the bird. This was a difficult bird to see for dogs that run early before the sun was up high since the walk up faced east.

The line to the water blind is 32 yards of land prior to entering the pond square, past the point of the flyer fall over the next point to the far end of the pond. There was tremendous suction from the flyer. If the handlers did not get a good "right back" off the second point, the dog was out of sight.  The line to the land blind was through the scent of the diversion bird, with little to no other factors.

FLIGHT C: Mon April 24 - Day 2 - Test 3 - Water Triple with a Water Blind

The third series of Flight C has was a water triple with water blind up the center. The setting consisted of a small pond with the water's edge just eight yards from the line. Beyond the pond is a field of pecan trees with tilled strips of soil for food plots between the trees. The left-hand bird is thrown first to the right from a small pole building covering a wood pile and landed just shy of a tilled strip 70 yards from the line. The area of the fall for the middle bird flyer shot to the right is either landing in the tilled strip of land or alternately the mowed green grass approximately 136 yards from the line. The right-hand go bird is thrown flat to the left landing 58 yards from the line on the far end of the pond. The direct line to the go bird includes a slight sliver of water up front and then a small piece of water just before picking up the bird. 

The blind is directly up the middle of the test halfway between the left and middle bird. The bird is placed at the base of a very large bushy tree.

Originally the test was set with the right-hand mark being thrown right angle back. After the three test dogs had difficulty with that mark, the judges changed it to a flat throw left to provide more clarity to the picture. 

Flight C – Test 3 – Judge's Scenario

Mike Book and "Ben" – Test Dog #3!!

Flight C – Test 3 – Water Blind

FLIGHT B: Mon April 24 - Day 2 - Test 3 - Land/Water Triple with a Water Blind and an Honor

The third series of Flight B at Whoa Nellie Farm was a land/water triple with blind and honor using a mixed bag of pheasants for land and mallards for water. The field had a upward slope with thin broom straw and low cover. The left-hand bird was first thrown to the right landing 74 yards from the line. The middle bird was second thrown left landing approximately 98 yards from the line. The area of the fall for the go bird flyer shot hard angle back left was 120 yards from the line.

The wind was to the handler's backs. Due to the flyer being shot hard angle back, the dogs we watched flared off the bird station to the left to make a quick hunt to retrieve the bird. Upon the return from the flyer, dogs primary selected and retrieved the right-hand bird, the wind did not seem to give either bird away and dogs marked these two birds well. The water blind was a square water entry with a 45 yard swim to a wide point where the bird was placed on the back side of the peninsula. 

 Flight B – Test 3 – #31

FLIGHT A: Mon April 24 - Day 2 - Test 3 - Land/Water Triple with a Water Blind and an Honor

We arrived at Tired Bottom, Flight A late in the afternoon. The judges set up a fun land water triple with a water blind and honor using a mixed bag, pheasants for land, mallards for water. The first bird down was the right-hand bird thrown to the left landing mid-way up a slope in a small patch of cover 80 yards from the line. The next two birds resembled a mom and pop due to the proximity from where the bird came from, but in actuality there were two separate holding blinds a few feet apart. The second short middle bird, also a land bird, was thrown to the right, crossed behind a tree and from the dog's perspective landed behind another tree 31 yards from the line. The flyer go bird, a water mark shot to the left landed across a narrow pond a few yards onto the shore. The water blind at approximately 90 yards was to the left of where the flyer landed. 

Four of the five factors that affect dogs pushed these dogs to the right en route to retrieve the flyer. The terrain sloped to the right; the longer the dog stayed on land the wider the swim became; the suction of two bird stations and, finally, the wind was blowing left to right, so the dogs had to shoulder the wind. The line to the flyer also required an angle entry into the water. Upon returning from the flyer, the dogs  primarily selected the short middle bird as their second one to pick up. If the dogs over ran this mark, the wind helped them to locate the bird for a quick retrieve. The terrain to the right long bird had a slight slope to the left down into a gully. Once the dogs reached the gully, if the dog was to the left of the bird as they went up the hill, they had a large area of land to hunt in.  

The same factors that affected the dog retrieving the flyer were also in play for the down-the-shore water blind. The terrain fell off to the right, angle entry was required, and the dogs should not land early.

FLIGHT C: Mon April 24 - Day 2 - Test 2 - Land Triple and Walk-up with a Blind

Judges Joe Escher's and Tim Landecker's second series is a mixed-bag land triple walk-up with a blind outside the marks. We arrived early morning to a cool 50 degrees with light wind out of the west. The handlers proceeded due north to a walk up with a rooster pheasant being thrown left landing at a tempting 37 yards in low cover. The left-hand flyer was a mallard shot angle back right with an area of the fall at about 100 yards from the line. The deepest mark thrown was the right-hand go bird at 128 yards thrown left into low cover in front of a row of young young pine trees in front of the woods. 

The blind was to the left and just deep of the flyer station, 111 yards from the line. This test was not a wide open triple, but it was also not a tight test. On the way to the go bird, the dogs did have to get through the scent of the short walk up bird and possibly scent from the flyer. 

The line to the blind did have a dirt road the dogs needed to angle that pushed dogs to the right towards the flyer station, but most handlers we watched were able to keep the dogs left of the flyer station to pick up the bird. 

Flight C – Test 2 – Judge's Test Scenario

Flight C – Test 2 – Test Dog

FLIGHT A: Mon April 24 - Day 2 - Test 2 - Land Triple and Walk-up with a Blind

Judge Rip Shively's and Tom Quarles' second series was a mixed-bag land triple with walk-up and blind inside the marks. When the handlers reached the designated line, a gun station situated left and slightly back at 35 yards threw a pheasant to the right that landed at the crest of a hill. The flyer station was situated deep and in the middle of the test at approximately 100 yards and the mallard was shot to the right into a gully. The go bird was the right-hand bird and it was thrown to the left at approximately 85 yards landing near the crest of the hill.

The dogs we watched quickly picked up the go bird, but there was potential for the dogs to over run this bird, crest the hill and go out of sight. The walk up bird is also well placed at the crest of the hill, dogs that over ran this short bird quickly go out of sight. The flyer is excellently placed in the gully. From the dog's view, it is difficult because the field looks much flatter than it is. For the dogs whose flyer falls on the hill, they had a bit of an advantage. 

The blind is approximately 100 yards from the line, to the left of the flyer station. The line to the blind is a bit tight, only about 20 yards to the right of past where the walk up bird landed. There is log 20 yards from the line on line to the blind giving some dogs trouble, if the dog goes right, it is on the line back to the flyer, if it goes left, it is close to the line of the walk up bird. Handlers needed to be very quick on the whistle to attempt to get the dog over the log.

Flight A – Test 2 – Scenario from the Judges

Flight A – Test 2 – Test Dog

Flight A – Test 2 – Rip Shively plays "Stump the Judge" 

Flight A – Test 2 – #47 – Land Blind

Flight A – Test 2 – #48

 Flight A – Test 2 – #48 – Land Blind

FLIGHT B: Mon April 24 - Day 2 - Test 2 - Land Triple and Walk-up with a Blind

Judges Bill Cummings' and Tom Lehr's second series is a land triple walk-up with a blind outside the marks. The left-hand walk up bird is thrown to the right landing 47 yards on the edge of a green grass path. The next bird down, the flyer, was the right-hand bird shot to the right with the area of the fall approximately 100 yards into calf-high cover. The middle bird, go bird is also thrown right, landing 85 yards in the calf-high cover. The blind is approximately 80 yards to the right of the flyer station and located deeper at 110 yards. 

Early in the day, the wind was out of the west. Later, it had shifted to the north west making the test more difficult due to the scent of the flyer affecting the other two marks. The dogs needing to be handled don't seem to be getting into trouble with one particular mark, but are over running either the middle bird or left bird and we observed several big hunts.

Flight B – Land Blind – #18

Flight B – Test 2 – #27

FLIGHT B: Sun April 23 - Day 1 - Test 1 - Land Triple with an Honor

We arrived at Flight B , which was held on the property of Ken and Brenda Neil – "Whoa Nellie Farm" – in the early afternoon. It was a warm 84 degrees. This series consisted of a land triple with an honor using all rooster pheasants. The terrain slopes from right to left and the field of tall broom straw is strip-cut and has very few trees. The right-hand bird was thrown first from a brushed holding blind to the right landing 134 yards from the line. The middle bird was thrown second, also to the right, landing 100 yards from the line. On the left was the heavily brushed go bird flyer station which was shot out of the test to the left landing 86 yards from the line in heavy broom straw in the middle of several decoys. 

The average time it took the dogs to run this set up while we were there was 3-1/2 minutes. The dogs ran down the hill to quickly pick up the flyer. When the dogs returned, they made a quick look to the right-hand bird but then selected to pick up the middle bird. Neither the middle bird nor the right-hand bird were easy with close to 70 percent of the dogs needing to be handled on one if not both birds. Judges Bill Cummins and Tom Lehr set up a challenging triple for the first series. 

#21, Abandoned Road's Caffeine Explosion "Java" with handler Charlie Pugh

Test Diagram by Dave Christianson

FLIGHT A: Sun April 23 - Day 1 - Test 1 - Land Triple with an Honor

 FLIGHT A: Sun April 23 - Day 1 - Test 1 - Land Triple with an Honor

It was mid-morning when we arrived at Flight A, which was held on the property of John and Mary Stracka – "Tired Bottom Farm." This first series consisted of a land triple with an honor and all the birds are rooster pheasants. The first bird thrown was on the right of the test situated 42 yards from the line. The bird station was well-hidden by a very large live oak tree covered in Spanish moss and was thrown to the left, landing in mid-calf high grass. The middle bird was the flyer, shot to the left landing 111 yards from the line. This station was very tight to the first bird down and the flyer was shot very high. The third bird down, was a swing to the far left side of the test. This left-hand go-bird was thrown to the right from a heavily brushed holding blind tucked in tight to the tree line landing in shorter grass 127 yards from the line.  

The dog's line to the go bird was down a hill, up a slight knoll to the bird. The terrain, wind and suction of the bird station pulled the dog to the left if the dog did not hold the line to the bird. In the six dogs we watched, the dogs used their primary selection skill to select the bird to be picked up second: three of the six selected the flyer and four of the six dogs were handled on at least one of the two birds. The terrain sloped from right to left from the right bird to the middle bird impacting the dogs significantly that tried to pick up the right-hand bird second. The handlers that picked up the right-hand bird last and sent the dog easy seemed to be having less trouble. At the time we left, 18 dogs had run, eight had handles, three honored on leash and at least one dog broke. Judges Rip Shively and Tom Quarles set up a challenging first series triple that on average ran about 3-1/2 minutes per dog.

Judges instructions to the handlers. Video by A.J. McGinnis

First Running dog, #28, Dogleg's Snake Eyes Pair-A-Dice, "Deuce" with handler Gloria Nusbickel 
Video by A.J. McGinnis – Thank you, AJ!!

FLIGHT C: Sun April 23 - Day 1 - Test 1 - Land Triple with an Honor

FLIGHT C: Sun April 23 - Day 1 - Test 1 - Land Triple with an Honor

We arrived at Flight C, which was held on the property of Glen and Laurie Williams, "Dog Pond Kennels" in time to watch the first test dog. This series consisted of a land triple with an honor. All birds were rooster pheasants including the flyer. The first bird thrown was on the left situated 46 yards from the line.  The bird station was well hidden behind a large clump of pampas grass, thrown to the right landing in low cover. The next bird to be thrown was the middle bird, also coming from a blind of pampas grass, 84 yards from the line, thrown to the right, landing in low cover. The right bird was the flyer, 56 yards from the line, well hidden behind a heavily brushed holding blind. The flyer was shot to the right landing across a dirt road in a nicely cut green grass clearing. There was little to no wind while we were at Dog Pond Kennels and we watched eight dogs run which included the two test dogs averaging three minutes per dog.

Judges Joe Eschert and Tim Landecker set up a fair first series. They signaled for all three birds with a duck call from the line, and each station returned the call before throwing the bird. This was an exciting test for the dogs  which all took place an area not larger then a small baseball field. The dogs quickly picked up the flyer, then the left bird and finished the series picking up the middle bird.

 

 The Judges gave us the test Scenario and allowed the Handlers to ask questions

Test Dogs Videos